If Only She Knew
by ibreak4CSI
Summary: [BB oneshot] Set during Stargazer in a Puddle. 'And that, of all places, was where I realized that I had fallen head over heels in love with Dr. Temperance Brennan.'


**Summary: (BB) Set during Stargazer in a Puddle. "And **_**that**_** of all places was where I realized that I had fallen head over heels in love with Dr. Temperance Brennan."**

**Spoilers: Very minor ones for Man in the Bear, Man in the Fallout shelter, Stargazer in a Puddle, anything that has to do with Sully.**

**Notes: My first venture into the Bones fandom so reviews would be **_**very**_** much appreciated!**

**If Only She Knew**

If there was a more inappropriate place to come to this realization, I sure as hell couldn't think of it.

There we were, standing in a puddle of water, our surroundings dark, damp, and smelly, only feet away from the body of a dead little girl. I was holding the stone that had been in the girl's hand, for crying out loud. My feelings for the woman standing before me should have been the last thing from my mind.

And _that_ of all places was where I realized that I had fallen head over heels in love with Dr. Temperance Brennan, more affectionately called "Bones" by yours truly. Little did I know just _how_ affectionately until that moment.

That moment when I looked deep into those crystalline blue eyes and said "I love you." I was only repeating to her the words that were painted on the smooth, gray stone. But as the phrase tumbled off of my lips, something clicked, and I knew. I just _knew_.

I knew why I had wanted to punch the living daylights out of Sully when I saw him kissing _my_ Bones. I knew why my stomach twisted into a thousand knots when she told me that she had slept with him, and why I had had a sudden urge to jump off the dock into the ocean when I found them in the boat. It was why I felt like I could tell her things, things no one else ever knew about me; why I was so protective of her -- though according to her that's just because I'm a male chauvinist -- why I enjoyed her company so much, even if we were simply arguing.

I'm not naïve. I'd known that I was attracted to her. That was why I had restarted the thing with Cam; because I'd wanted to squelch the attraction, the desire for Bones. It had worked for a while; I'd forgotten about her in more than a "we're partners and nothing more" way, at least consciously. I had ignored my less than "professional" dreams about her, and I'd even managed not to acknowledge the electric shivers that had continued to shoot throughout my body when we touched.

Until Cam had been poisoned. When I'd visited her in the hospital, of course I was afraid and sad, but it was only for a friend. The major emotion at play there was guilt, because I had really only been using her to forget the person I _truly_ wanted. I had wanted Bones. My Bones.

I knew she would kick my ass if she ever heard me refer to her like that, so I only did it in my head. I don't remember exactly at what point she became "my Bones" -- another factor that should have tipped me off in regards to my feelings -- instead of just "Bones." Maybe it was after we danced in Washington, or when all of us were trapped together in the lab on Christmas Eve. I can't pinpoint an exact moment, but I do know it was quite a while ago.

With all these facts that I had known, it shouldn't have come as much of a shock that I had fallen in love with her. But it did. I nearly fell over as the stunning knowledge overtook me. She didn't read any significance into the words; she only took them as they were intended: more information about the case. There was no reason for her to think otherwise.

I wondered what her reaction would be if I ever told her. She'd probably just tell me that I was suffering from a hormonal imbalance of some sort because, according to her, love does not really exist.

But it does. I would know.

"Booth?" Her inquiring voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I didn't comprehend what it was that she asked, but apparently I gave a satisfactory answer because she turned back to examine the body further.

Now all I had to do was hope and pray that love was as easy to hide as attraction. I'd certainly done that well enough for two years. I could continue to do it as well. I had no choice.

She sneaked a quick glance at me, I noticed, probably wondering why I was just standing around, not talking or doing something. Well, Bones, sorry if I'm not acting exactly how that little rule book in your head says I should, but I just found out that I love you.

I shook my head at the irony and crouched down beside her, acting as if nothing had changed and everything was perfectly normal.

If only she knew.

**The End**

**A/N: There's a slight chance that I might do a companion piece with Brennan's POV. Let me know if you think I should!**


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